The Museum of the Indigenous People of Maranhão documents the indigenous cultures of the state, including the Guajajara (Tentehar), Canela, and several other groups. The collection includes traditional crafts, tools, musical instruments, and ceremonial objects, along with documentation of the indigenous communities that still survive in Maranhão's interior.
Maranhão has one of Brazil's largest indigenous populations, and their cultural influence on the state is significant — much of the regional cuisine and several folk traditions have indigenous roots. The museum is modest in size but gives an important perspective on a history that tourist brochures often gloss over.